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Data Elements: 3.02 Social Security Number and SSN Data Quality (SSN DQ)
Data Element
Where data is shared across projects, the Social Security Number (SSN) helps identify clients who have been served, allows projects to avoid creating duplicate records and facilitates back-end deduplication of any unshared records.
Data Element Type
3.02 Social Security Number and SSN Data Quality are Universal Data Elements (HUD).
Collection Point
The 3.02 Social Security Number and SSN Data Quality are collected at project entry and is entered when a client record is created in HMIS (Homeless Management Information Systems). Updates can be made at any time to improve completeness and accuracy.
Why It Matters
An important objective for ending homelessness is to increase access and utilization of mainstream programs by people who are experiencing homelessness or are at-risk of homelessness. Since SSN is a required data element for many mainstream programs, projects may need the SSN to help their clients access mainstream services.
The Social Security Number is used to de-duplicate clients for reporting purposes.
When a CoC (Continuum of Care) has a high percentage of clients with unknown, invalid, or duplicate Social Security Numbers (amount all client served during the report period), it makes de-duplicating clients difficult and may cause the total client counts to be larger than they really are. This results in poor data quality and makes the data unusable and could affect funding allocations.
Data Quality
The Data Completeness Report looks to see how many digits have been included in the SSN and if that supports what was selected as the DQ.
- If there are 9 digits, DQ should be Full SSN
- Between 1-8 digits, DQ should be Partial SSN
- Blank - DQ response should be Data Not Collected, Client doesn't know, or Client prefers not to answer
This will be flagged as an error if either SSN or SSN DQ are missing / Data Not Collected OR if SSN DQ type does not match SSN.
Enter value(s), if known for SSN and/or SSN DQ OR update SSN DQ type to match the SSN value on Client Profile > Client Record.